Arts and Ageing : life expectancy of historical artists in the Low Countries

Practising arts has been linked to lowering stress, anxiety and blood pressure. These mechanisms are all known to affect the ageing process. Therefore, we examine the relation between long-term involvement in arts and life expectancy at age 50 (LE50), in a cohort of 12,159 male acoustic, literary and visual artists, who were born between 1700 and 1899 in the Low Countries. We compared the life expectancy at age 50 of the various artists with the elite and middle class of that time. In the birth cohorts before 1850, acoustic (LE50:14.5–19.5) and literary artists (LE50:17.8–20.8) had a similar life expectancy at age 50 compared to the elite (LE50:18.0–19.0). Only visual artists (LE50:15.5–17.1) had a lower life expectancy at age 50 compared to the elite at that time. For the most recent birth cohorts from 1850 through 1899, the comparison between artists and the elite reversed and acoustic and literary artist had a lower life expectancy at age 50, while visual artists enjoyed a similar life expectancy at age 50. Although artists belonged to the middle socioeconomic class and lived predominantly in urban areas with poor living conditions, they had a life expectancy similar to the elite population. This is in line with observed favourable effects of practicing arts on health in the short-term. From our historical analysis, we hypothesize several mechanisms through which artistic creativity could influence the ageing process and life expectancy. These hypotheses, however, should be formally tested before any definite conclusions on effects of arts on ageing can be drawn

Einfluss der lokalen Schweißnahtgeometrie auf die Rissinitiierung an Stumpfstößen

Einfluss der lokalen Schweißnahtgeometrie auf die Rissinitiierung an Stumpfstöße

Possible role of estrogen in temporomandibular disorders in female subjects: A research study

Introduction: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common pain conditions that have the highest prevalence among women of reproductive age. The high prevalence of TMD pain among women, pattern of onset after puberty, and lowered prevalence rates in the postmenopausal years suggest that female reproductive hormones play an etiological role in TMDs. Aims and Objectives: To assess the possible role of estrogen in female subjects with temporomandibular disorders. Materials and Methods: A total of 195 subjects were examined for the study and divided into two groups: TMD positive and TMD negative subjects, which were further divided into women of reproductive age (20-40 years) and postmenopausal women. The serum estrogen (β-estradiol) level was estimated in both the groups. In reproductive women, the serum estrogen level was estimated in the follicular phase. Conclusion: A statistically significant association was found between the female sex hormone estrogen (β-estradiol) level and temporomandibular disorders

Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint internal derangements: A comparative study

Objective: The purpose of the study was to compare high-resolution ultrasonography (HR-USG) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangements. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 11 subjects with a chief complaint of TMJ discomfort, who were diagnosed as having TMJ internal derangement according to clinical diagnostic criteria (CDC) for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). A control group of eight subjects who had no sign of TMJ internal derangement were also examined. Imaging modalities (MRI and HR-USG) were performed on all the subjects (cases and controls). Results: Strong agreement was found between MRI and HR-USG in the diagnosis of TMJ internal derangements (k = 0.918, P < 0.001). Conclusion: MRI and HR-USG can be used to define the disc and its displacement

Arts and ageing; life expectancy of historical artists in the Low Countries

Practising arts has been linked to lowering stress, anxiety and blood pressure. These mechanisms are all known to affect the ageing process. Therefore, we examine the relation between long-term involvement in arts and life expectancy at age 50 (LE50), in a cohort of 12,159 male acoustic, literary and visual artists, who were born between 1700 and 1899 in the Low Countries. We compared the life expectancy at age 50 of the various artists with the elite and middle class of that time. In the birth cohorts before 1850, acoustic (LE50:14.5–19.5) and literary artists (LE50:17.8–20.8) had a similar life expectancy at age 50 compared to the elite (LE50:18.0–19.0). Only visual artists (LE50:15.5–17.1) had a lower life expectancy at age 50 compared to the elite at that time. For the most recent birth cohorts from 1850 through 1899, the comparison between artists and the elite reversed and acoustic and literary artist had a lower life expectancy at age 50, while visual artists enjoyed a similar life expectancy at age 50. Although artists belonged to the middle socioeconomic class and lived predominantly in urban areas with poor living conditions, they had a life expectancy similar to the elite population. This is in line with observed favourable effects of practicing arts on health in the short-term. From our historical analysis, we hypothesize several mechanisms through which artistic creativity could influence the ageing process and life expectancy. These hypotheses, however, should be formally tested before any definite conclusions on effects of arts on ageing can be drawn.

How often is patent foramen ovale an innocent bystander?

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a risk factor for cryptogenetic stroke; its closure should be considered in selected patients. It is not always clear whether symptoms (presyncope, paresthesia) apparently due to paradoxical embolism are related with other cardiovascular disorders such as arrhythmias. Flecainide administration for post-PFO-closure supraventricular arrhythmias can unmask a latent undiagnosed Brugada syndrome

Perioperative Surgical Home in Pediatric Settings: Preliminary Results

Copyright © 2016 International Anesthesia Research Society. BACKGROUND: The Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) is a patient-centered, team-based approach that aims to improve the value of perioperative care. We implemented a PSH for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were undergoing posterior spinal fusion at Children\u27s National Health System. We hypothesized that this PSH would improve patient surgical outcomes and reduce hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS: A multidisciplinary group created evidence-based protocols for the preoperative, operative, postoperative, and postdischarge care of this patient population. After a 5-month design and training period, PSH for spinal fusion was implemented in March 2015, with reduction in LOS as the primary outcome measure. Anesthesia comanagement of patients additionally allowed a new pathway for patients to recover in the postanesthesia care unit and reduce intensive care unit utilization. Patients before and after the implementation of the PSH were compared on clinical and efficiency metrics. RESULTS: The spinal fusion PSH achieved the primary outcome measure by a significant reduction in LOS. Care improvement was illustrated by achievement of the secondary outcome measure of reduced perioperative transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: The PSH model presented a ready structure that proved successful at our institution for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion

Drugs and (Dis)order Organisational Ethnography Case Study: the Afghanistan Comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development Facility (CARD-F), 2020

Collection of interviews and observations of CARD-F stakeholders carried out as part of the GCRF Drugs and (dis)order project in the borderlands of Nangarhar and Badakshan, Afghanistan (grant ES/P011543/1). The aim was to carry out an organisational ethnography of the Afghanistan Comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development Facility (CARD-F), a UK DFID funded programme implemented in Nangarhar and Badakshan from 2009 to 2018 to provide economic alternatives to opium poppy cultivation and increase production of high-value alternative agricultural products. Interviews were carried out with CARD-F programme staff in Kabul, implementing partners, provincial government officials, private investors, and direct and indirect beneficiaries of CARD-F at district and village levels. Sixty semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion were carried out by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) in Kabul, Nangarhar and Badakshan